4x4 help

I got stuck in the sand and tried to put it in 4wd but it the front hubs wouldn't lock in. I have the shifter on the floor I have noticed before that it would feel like it was in 4wd but didn't think anything of it until my dad asked if the front drive line would spin. Any help on how to fix this. Also the 4x4 light on the dash would come on .

sounds like you're in need of new hubs

You need to clarify if the the transfer case is really locked in, or if it is the
hubs that are the problem. Then we can work from there.

dmd said:

You need to clarify if the the transfer case is really locked in, or if it is the
hubs that are the problem. Then we can work from there.

Click to expand...

:whs:

well how i check the two out. Im fairly new to oning a truck.

What hubs do you have?

they have one dot but no words.

Jack up the front end, if the hubs are unlocked then the shafts shouldn't turn.

What year is your truck. Do you have an auto or manual shift transfer case

wouldn't the shaft turn with the wheels if they are off the ground?

2000 XL manual shift

Did you turn the hub to see if the 4 wheel drive would work? There should be an "auto" and a "lock" setting. If it doesn't work when it's in auto then you could have a vacuum leak to the hub

there is no words on the hub but there is a dot. I did what turned them to the left when I was stuck.

Well if turning them didn't help then either the hubs are bad or the transfer case is not engaging. Do as stated above. Put all 4 on jack stands and see if the front shaft will turn when it is in 4x4

it shouldn't turn at all?

With all 4 off the ground and in 4x4 the front and rear driveshatfts should turn. If the front shaft turns and the front wheels don't then you have a problem with the hubs or even in the front differential. If the front shaft does not turn then you have a problem with the transfer case

ok thank you ill report back in the morning

ok so I jacked it up put it in 4wd and tried turning the front drive line and could tell the rear was trying to turn also. Then I turned the front wheels and both would start to spin the drive line. So apparently someone looked them in and didn't unlock them and I had it all back word. I don't was to get stuck to test it but does this all sound like it should now?

An easy way to tell if your hubs are locked in is put the transfer case in 2wd and grab the front shafts and turn them by hand. With the hubs unlocked they should spin easily, locked they should not spin. This is with all 4 tires on the ground

He did say that when he was stuck that he turned them to the left. So actually when he got stuck he unlocked them.